This invention relates to an attachment for mounting on the end of material handling equipment for extending the horizontal reach of the equipment, and it particularly relates to a generally horizontally elongated truss frame which is operatively interconnected to a fork assembly of a material handling truck wherein the truss boom carries a cable assembly thereon to significantly extend the horizontal reach of the equipment.
In the design and construction of any material handling equipment, it is generally considered to be particularly advantageous to provide equipment which is versatile in its basic design and which is capable of having various types of attachments mounted thereon to even further add to the versatility of the equipment. In Olson et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,025, material handling equipment is disclosed which is highly versatile in its basic design. The fork lift assembly, which is operatively mounted at the end of a telescoping boom, is pivotal through an upright plane on the material handling truck. Because of the mobility of the truck, the extendibility of the boom, the upright pivoting movement of the boom, and desirably, the pivoting of the fork assembly about an upright axis, the equipment is particularly versatile in use and operation. The disclosed equipment also desirably includes a cable attachment which includes a drop block arrangement. Particularly when using the drop block arrangement of Olson et al, the horizontal reach of the equipment is relatively limited. Although the fork assembly could be permanently elongated in a longitudinal direction, it is not considered practical to have such a permanent attachment which extends significantly beyond the outer end of the boom in a horizontal direction as such an arrangement would undoubtedly ultimately reduce the versatility and possibly even reduce the load carrying capacity of the fork assembly.
It is therefore considered highly advantageous to provide a suitable attachment for equipment of the type shown in the Olson et al patent which would extend the horizontal reach of the equipment, when utilizing the drop block attachment, and yet provide an attachment which may be readily attached and detached from the fork assembly normally mounted at the outer end of the telescoping boom.